2005 - HYP004 - KODE9 & THE SPACEAPE - BACKWARD/9 SAMURAI

On this 4th 10inch vinyl release, Kode9 & the Spaceape step up with a couple of verydifferent cinematic riddims tracks. ‘Backward’ is easily their most infectious skanker to date, with a vocal hook you’ll not forget [“One step forward, 2 steps back”], cascading brassy synths and a lumbering bassline rushed along by the interstellar wisdom of Spaceape’s upbeat flow.

Already an anthem from Kode9’s weekly Rinse Fm shows and appearances at NYC’s Dubwar party, the instrumental ‘9 Samurai’, with its fanfare intro and militant vox samples is pure funeral march material, descending into grimey synthetic bass, phased snares and deep, deep subs. Both tracks were performed live on Mary-Ann Hobbs’ Breezeblock sessions on Radio 1 in January 2006.